Archive for the 'Previous Activities' Category
Comic Books in the Classroom: Learn how comic books and mythology can be used to promote creativity, critical thinking and literacy: reading writing and counting. Panelists will look at the range of uses for traditional comic books and related media in the contemporary classroom to improve the skills of young scholars through critical thinking and creative writing. Myriad subjects, from grammar and syntax, math and science, civics and ethics, etc., can be tackled using comic books as an educational resource.
Since 1987, Reggie Byers has created, written and illustrated comic books professionally. He got his first break penciling ROBOTECH comic books for Comico. The comics were the American licensed comics basedon the popular Japanese anime, “MACROSS.” He illustrated ROBOTECH for 2 years. After Comico, he self published a variety of comic books which includes: SHURIKEN, about a female ninja, “JAM QUACKY THE HIP-HOP DUCK” and currently, “KIDZ OF THE KING”, which he produces with his wife of 20 years, Dionne.
Founded on the Bible scripture, Galatians 3:26, KIDZ OF THE KING is a Christian comic book that teaches its’ readers how to live their lives according to the Bible and is currently published by UMI Inc out of Chicago, Illinois.
In 2006, Ten Talents Productions was granted the license to produce “Kidz” as an animated series on DVD, which debuted in October 2008. Reggie and his wife look forward to growing this “comic book ministry” to the level where children all over the world will desire to be “Kidz of the King.” Reggie also facilitates “Kidz of the King Youth workshops”, speaks and preaches at Churches nationwide for youth services and special ministry events.
www.toonface.info
www.thekidzoftheking.com
www.tentalentsproductions.com
Digital Technology For Liberation Artistry Pt 5:
This Is How You Do It!
Brother G and Mshindo I will show the Cinema Graphic Novel adventure “Zulu Mech 1″ and present the techniques used to create the epic series.
Brother G will explain how we used the latest ways to get paid, distribute and protect artistry using digital technology and how we used new media to level the playing field for small independent producers and publishers. Then, Mshindo will demonstrate artistic and storytelling techniques so that other artists can creat their own Cinema Graphic Novels. In addition, new information about international markets via the internet will be discussed.
Gregory L. Walker, CEO of Seker Nefer Productions, is a Chicago-based journalist, poet, historian and author. He is the author of Shades Of Memnon, a novel series about the activities of the ancient Kushites of Africa.
DIEHARD Studio’s Hunter Wolf, Art Director of the animated TV series Mutant League, helms the animation of Captain Africa•Purge. Wolf (who’s real name is Dwayne Ferguson) is the creator of the costumed African warrior prince Captain Africa, who teams up with Roosevelt Pitt’s high tech hero Purge. The exciting trailer to the upcoming 22 minute episode makes it’s premiere at this year’s East Coast Black Age of Comics Con! More intel to come.
ECBACC, Inc. is proud to present the longest running (okay, 3 years) comics panel featuring Black women. For ECBACC 2009, the panel is titled, “Having Our Say: Black Women discuss Youth and Beauty”. Topics during earlier Having Our Say panels have included speculative fiction, love, and humor. Please see the information below about the panelists scheduled to participate on Saturday, May 16.
Cheryl Lynn Eaton
Cheryl Lynn Eaton is the founder and creator of the Ormes Society. The Ormes Society, named after the legendary pioneering cartoonist of color Jackie Ormes, is an organization dedicated to supporting black female comic creators and promoting the inclusion of black women in the comics industry as creators, characters and consumers. Cheryl Lynn maintains the Ormes Society website and also maintains Torchbearers, an online community with a specific focus on black female characters in sequential art and animation.
DigitalFemme.com
The Ormes Society
Leilani Hickerson
Leilani is a freelance illustrator by day, supreme juggling master by night. She was born in the heartland of New Jersey in the year of 1983. She climbed her way to the top of the trenches and graduated in 2006 from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. There she received her BFA in Illustration and to her surprise, attained the university’s most distinguished illustration award. With comic exhibitions travelling worldwide she still enjoys her downtime. She enjoys ice coffee, pumping iron, reading comics by firelight, and illustrating her and her sister’s upcoming children’s comic My Hafu©.
Lanitai.deviantart.com
LeilaniHickerson.blogspot.com
Arie Monroe
Arie is originally from Kansas City Missouri. She has a passion for comics, illustration, and animation. Her work is inspired by a multitude of styles from fine art to anime. Some of her favorite artists include Norman Rockwell, Josh Middleton, Dan Haskett, Bruce Timm and Chris Sanders. She specializes in drawing girls, but is always up for the challenge of drawing whatever is placed in front of her. She also enjoys drawing things geared toward kids and has some experience working with licensed product design.
Drawlikecrazy.net
Mainasha.deviantart.com
Stephanie Brandford - Facilitator
This workshop is Photoshop-based and focuses on the color selection process for coloring a sequential page. Mshindo teaches you step-by-step instruction on using some of the latest software to color your comics.
Born in 1964, Mshindo is largely a self developed talent moved through his early years developing each aspect of his art one skill at a time. “I was fascinated by art that looked realistic and photo realism.” Studying one aspect of the process at a time allowed Mshindo to develop strong foundation skills that would become the hallmark of “The Mshindo I. look”. Moving from pencil techniques to ink, color pencil and airbrush in that fashion allowed for lengthy study with each technique. Some of the early influences were; his Father, older brother, Mike Bonum (the after school teacher who he did his first painting with), Frank Frazetta, Amsel, Keith Pollard, Neal Adams and many others whose names were not known… just the fantastic lessons in their work.
After high school and a three year infantry medic stint, Mshindo ventured out into the world as a freelance artist selling t-shirts at a flea market while living in Oahu, HI. It is here he met a Rastafarian named Bongo I Fareed, who would change his entire life! He was the true African influence that not only taught Mshindo to be an entrepreneur, he lead him to the waters of African culture, which Mshindo drank freely from. He stressed the need for self knowledge, self education and the truth of the Africans place in the world historic view. Returning to the states in 1985 Mshindo continued to vend and grow a reputation for being a “true artist.”
He began to attract clients like The Salvation Army, The NYC Fire and Police Dept., McDonalds, and V.I.M. store chain. Celebrities and educators were also a part of this long list such as; Bobby Brown, Vertical Hold (including Angie Stone), Arrow, Mathew St. Patrick, John Henrik Clarke, Leonard Jefferies, Queen Afua and Baba Heru.
Mshindo’s talents were also noticed by comic companies like: A & B, Ania, Brainstorm, Continuity, Defiant, Valiant, Broadway, Crusade, Kevlar, Amara and DC comics. Currently, Mshindo is honing his digital skills to complete yet another learning cycle in his over 20-year experience. He is working on self publishing and reproductions of his astonishing work. Visit www.mshindoiart.com to see more work from this bright star of the artistic universe.
Because comic books are a visual medium, the comic book artist generally has an advantage as an unpublished talent. The old days of sending in unsolicited pitches to big comic book companies in the hopes of getting hired are dead and gone. If you are an unpublished writer with dreams of making it in the comic book industry and you don’t know how or where to begin, this is the panel for you. Join writer Brandon M. Easton (Dreamwave’s ARKANIUM, Arcana Studios’ SHADOWLAW) as he gives you the truth on how to break in. This panel is set up for BEGINNER LEVEL writers only and attendees should be prepared to take detailed notes as Brandon will give them a real world plan to achieve their dreams
Brandon M. Easton is a professional writer, screenwriter, and educator based in New York City. Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, Easton is a graduate of Ithaca College and Boston University’s prestigious Screenwriting program. Brandon has well over 10 years of writing experience. He has penned articles for the Boston Herald, Crashpad Magazine, and a variety of other publications. His past work has included the original comic book series ARKANIUM for Dreamwave Productions, and Transformers: Armada, which was distributed on Free Comic Book Day across North America. He is currently working on a novelized version of SHAWDOWLAW as well as other high-concept screenplays.
Check out his websites — www.shadowlawonline.com and www.foolscrusade.blogspot.com.
Also, you can listen to the companion podcast show called WRITING FOR ROOKIES at http://writingforrookies.podcastpeople.com/.
DIGITAL WORLD DOMINATION
Gergory Walker will present the latest ways to get paid, distribute and protect your artistry using digital technology. There will be heavy emphasis on using new media to level the playing field for small independent producers and publishers. And new information about international markets via the internet.
Gregory L. Walker, CEO of Seker Nefer Productions, is a Chicago-based journalist, poet, historian and author. He is the author of Shades Of Memnon, a novel series about the activities of the ancient Kushites of Africa.
